2,000 evacuated in La Palma wildfire in Spain's Canary Islands; official says blaze 'out of control'
Authorities say that more than 2,000 people have been evacuated as a wildfire rages “out of control” on La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands, destroying around a dozen homes BARCELONA, Spain -- More than 2,000 people were evacuated as a wildfire rages “out of control ” on La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands on Saturday, destroying around a dozen homes, authorities said. The blaze has affected an area of about 4,500 hectares (11,000 acres) and officials warned residents that the situation could worsen because a heat wave has made the terrain tinder-dry. “The fire has spread very fast,” Canary Islands regional president Fernando Clavijo said. “The fire is out of control .” He said that some residents didn't want to abandon their homes, and he appealed for people to be responsible and heed the calls for evacuation. Clavijo said that he was very concerned about the possibility of shifting winds at night, saying they could make the evacuation operation more dangerous. He said that ...